Orchids They lean over the path,
Adder-mouthed,
Swaying close to the face,
Coming out, soft and deceptive,
Limp and damp, delicate as a young bird's tongue;
Their fluttery fledgling lips
Move slowly,
Drawing in the warm air.
And at night,
The faint moon falling through whitewashed glass,
The heat going down
So their musky smell comes even stronger,
Drifting down from their mossy cradles:
So many devouring infants!
Soft luminescent fingers,
Lips neither dead nor alive,
Loose ghostly mouths
Breathing.
The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me, so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
The Bat
By day the bat is cousin to the mouse.
He likes the attic of an aging house.
His fingers make a hat about his head.
His pulse beat is so slow we think him dead.
He loops in crazy figures half the night
Among the trees that face the corner light.
But when he brushes up against a screen,
We are afraid of what our eyes have seen:
For something is amiss or out of place
When mice with wings can wear a human face.
Illustration of bat catching moth
Response to Poems: ~Orchids~
Personal Reaction to Poem- I really liked this poem because it let you feel, smell, and see an orchid like it was sitting in front of you but you're just reading a poem.
Peotic Devices Used- Imagery is used alot in this poem because it appeals to your senses such as feeling, seeing, and smelling.
Rhyme Scheme- There is no Rhyme Scheme for this poem, noe of the words rhyme.
Historical Context- There is no historical context for this poem, it is just talking about a flower.
Theme- There isn't really a theme in this poem because it is only talking about flowers but you could say that the theme was to appreciate the beauty of simple things because they might be alot more interesting than you think.
~The Bat~
Personal Reaction to Poem- I think this poem is funny and it is very true but people dont usualy think about it.
Poetic Devices Used- Rhyme is used in this poem.
Rhyme Scheme- The rhyme scheme is AA BB CC DD EE
Historical Context- There is no historical context for this poem, it is just talking about a bat.
Theme- There is not really a theme for this poem because it is just descrbing a bat, but it does make you think about what an odd creature a bat is when previously you may have never noticed.
~The Waking~
Personal Reaction to Poem- I like this poem because it gives so muchthought into just waking up in the mrning, when most people just slump out of bed he makes it an experience.
Poetic Devices Used- Rhyme is used in this poem, specifically end rhyme, and personification.
Rhyme Scheme- The rhyme scheme for this poem is ABAAB CDCCD EFEEF
Historical Context- There is no historical context provided for this poem.
Theme- The theme of this poem is enjoy life, even the simple parts, and don't just go through the motions.
Orchids
They lean over the path,
Adder-mouthed,
Swaying close to the face,
Coming out, soft and deceptive,
Limp and damp, delicate as a young bird's tongue;
Their fluttery fledgling lips
Move slowly,
Drawing in the warm air.
And at night,
The faint moon falling through whitewashed glass,
The heat going down
So their musky smell comes even stronger,
Drifting down from their mossy cradles:
So many devouring infants!
Soft luminescent fingers,
Lips neither dead nor alive,
Loose ghostly mouths
Breathing.
The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me, so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
By day the bat is cousin to the mouse.
He likes the attic of an aging house.
His fingers make a hat about his head.
His pulse beat is so slow we think him dead.
He loops in crazy figures half the night
Among the trees that face the corner light.
But when he brushes up against a screen,
We are afraid of what our eyes have seen:
For something is amiss or out of place
When mice with wings can wear a human face.
~Orchids~
Personal Reaction to Poem- I really liked this poem because it let you feel, smell, and see an orchid like it was sitting in front of you but you're just reading a poem.
Peotic Devices Used- Imagery is used alot in this poem because it appeals to your senses such as feeling, seeing, and smelling.
Rhyme Scheme- There is no Rhyme Scheme for this poem, noe of the words rhyme.
Historical Context- There is no historical context for this poem, it is just talking about a flower.
Theme- There isn't really a theme in this poem because it is only talking about flowers but you could say that the theme was to appreciate the beauty of simple things because they might be alot more interesting than you think.
~The Bat~
Personal Reaction to Poem- I think this poem is funny and it is very true but people dont usualy think about it.
Poetic Devices Used- Rhyme is used in this poem.
Rhyme Scheme- The rhyme scheme is AA BB CC DD EE
Historical Context- There is no historical context for this poem, it is just talking about a bat.
Theme- There is not really a theme for this poem because it is just descrbing a bat, but it does make you think about what an odd creature a bat is when previously you may have never noticed.
~The Waking~
Personal Reaction to Poem- I like this poem because it gives so muchthought into just waking up in the mrning, when most people just slump out of bed he makes it an experience.
Poetic Devices Used- Rhyme is used in this poem, specifically end rhyme, and personification.
Rhyme Scheme- The rhyme scheme for this poem is ABAAB CDCCD EFEEF
Historical Context- There is no historical context provided for this poem.
Theme- The theme of this poem is enjoy life, even the simple parts, and don't just go through the motions.